Intermittent Fasting Journal – Week 23

In this episode, Donna explains four ways we lose pounds and inches with Daily Intermittent Fasting, focusing on how three of the four of these have to do with the FASTING window (not necessarily the feasting window). She encourages listeners to not just consider pound loss when Intermittent Fasting, but to also consider inch loss and the effect that has on how we look and our clothing size (and ultimately how we feel in our clothing). The first way we lose is that we become “fat adapted” through fasting. This is when the body becomes a “fat burner” rather than a “sugar burner.” This way is influenced by the fasting window. The second way we lose is that muscle is retained while fat is burned, causing inch loss. This happens as Human Growth Hormone is increased between 500 and 2,000% during the fasting window. This way is also based on the fasting window. The third way we lose weight is that a shorter eating window AND balancing of hunger hormones cause us to make a small calorie deficit during our eating window that causes pound loss over time. This happens during the eating window, but is influenced by the fasting window/balancing hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin). The fourth way we lose is through the boosting of metabolism that happens during Intermittent Fasting. This metabolism boost has been shown in research to be up to 12-14 percent from fasting. This weight loss mechanism is most affected by the length of the fast. Donna encourages readers to grasp what our bodies can do FOR us during Intermittent Fasting, rather than what we might have historically thought about our bodies when it felt like they were working AGAINST us.

Introduction

Don’t think of loss as pounds—inches often make you look better than simply losing pounds
Don’t just think of loss as related to what you eat—it is both!
Fasting hours and feasting hours
1. The fasting hours help you burn body fat
2. The feasting hours can create your caloric deficit

Way #1: We Become Fat Adapted

Body becomes a “fat burner” rather than a “sugar burner” as we burn through glucose and stored glycogen and move into ketosis/body fat burning
A lowering of insulin (fat storing) allows for a rise in glucagon (fat burning)
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) increases by up to 5X more than typical during fasting—this aids in fat loss while protecting muscle
Length of fast greatly impacts this aspect of losing

Way #2: Muscle Is Retained While Fat Is Burned, Making You Lose Inches

During IF, muscle is preserved until we use up all of our fat (until fat is down to 4%)
HGH skyrockets during fasting up to 500%, at the 24 hour fasting mark it goes up by as much as 2,000% (a good reason to incorporate a 22-24 hour fast once a week or so)
HGH helps our bodies to not use muscle
HGH causes belly to shrink
Ketosis/body fat burning during the fast burns fat but preserves muscle
Most reduced calorie diets cause a loss of muscle simply because they go from carb burning and the body doesn’t know what to burn next
Length of fast greatly impacts this aspect

Way #3: A Slight Reduction in Calories Over Time Causes Weight Loss

A shorter eating window means fewer calories consumed
Mathematically most people eat more calories than their BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate—the calories/energy your body needs at rest) because of the 6 eating episodes in three meals and three snacks model
Fasting balances hunger hormones—ghrelin and leptin….regulated through the fasting window!
We choose healthier foods (i.e. more nutrient dense/fewer empty calories) as time goes on due to Appetite Correction. This helps greatly with the calorie reduction.
Leptin works in our favor—when we haven’t eaten for a while and then we eat, we spike leptin and it tells the body you have enough fuel.
Jason Fung (The Complete Guide to Fasting) works with hundreds of fasting patients through his Intensive Dietary Management clinic and has found that appetite decreases as the fasting duration increases.
Numerous studies show too few calories results in a 15% metabolic slowdown (after the TDEE, Total Daily Energy Expenditure, is subtracted at the new weight).
Fasting window length affects hunger hormones
Food choices affect Appetite Correction and calorie deficit
Length of eating window can affect calorie deficit

Way #4: Metabolism Is Boosted, Resulted in More Calorie Burning

Historically, our species would not have survived if fasting caused a slowing of the metabolism due to the feast/famine nature of their lives. The opposite actually happens—IF revs up the metabolism rather than shutting it down.
Due to the rise in norepinephrine, studies have shown the metabolism can be boosted by up to 14% with Intermittent Fasting.
Since we don’t lose muscle tissue with IF, we continuously burn more calories than a very low calorie diet protocol as muscle tissue continually burns calories.
We have a big spike in leptin during our eating window that tells the body to boost metabolism.
Fasting has been shown to increase Basal Metabolic Rate by 12%..
This is most affected by length of the fast.

Closing

Three-fourths of these are based on the fasting window.
Our bodies CAN work FOR us rather than AGAINST us.

Word From Our Sponsor: Plexus Supplement: Boost

Counterpart to last episode’s Accelerator except Accelerator has natural anti-depressant properties so people on anti-depressants can’t take Accelerator.
Boost is a metabolism booster without 5HTP (which increases serotonin and is found in the other product, Accelerator).
Contains Caroluma Fimbryona —natural botanical/plant product that tribesmen used to chew on during long hunts so that they didn’t have to stop to eat.
Gluten-free, vegetarian
Staves off hunger
Can be used as a preworkout
Has green tea
Caffeine; I use this or Accelerator in place of coffee
Contains Herba Matte—metabolic booster
For Information Sheet/Ingredients List for Boost click HERE
For Last week’s Accelerator Info Sheet click HERE
Click HERE to visit our Store

Below are a couple of links to books I use and love. I am an affiliate for Amazon.com. If you click on the links below I will earn a small commission. Thank you for your support of this blog!